Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-16
THE BIMLEYs.

familiar with its face.n had tired Q
its monotony, and wished to get th
old stereotyped ringing out of m,
ears, and rest my eyes from the glar
of the merciless sun that shone onl'
on the white sands and the pitilessl'
\ reflected waters.
And, besides, / wanted rest; rest il
its truest and best sense; rest from Til
daily rounds of ceaseless friyolity
rest from the insane chatter of til,
gilded butterflies of the fashionabl,
beach; and rest from the constan
changes Of toilet that s.good form
demands OF the habitue of the elegan
seaside resort il he or she wish to b
considered en- regle, and pose for
society person.
i wanted to go into hiding some
where for q brief season, not exactl,
as a hermit, but that | might find :
marked change from the old conven
tional way of spending month or Sc
OF vacation.
got this change In an unexpected
manner, and the transition from
human frivolity to tragic pathos was
more than | had planned.
1 found myself, one September
morning, standing by the shore OF /.
beautiful little sheet Of water among
the Sussex hills, in the northern par
OF New Jersey, in a sort of Rip Van
Wrinkle study. The metamorphosis
bad been sudden and complete in my
surroundings. An hour or two ago
had been in the whirI and hustle Of
active city life. Now l was in the
midst Of peace and quiet. among rural
scenery that was. restful to the eye,
heart and brain.
The sheet Of water at whose edge
was standing was dignifed by the
name of Lake Wanayanda- Indian
appellation, as afterwards learned
and was diminutiye piece to bear the
name of lake.
But it was very beautiful, as recall
At, on that bright September morning,
nestled among tile towering hills and
framed by the foliage of the trees, and
with a margin of green formed by the
low-growing bushes and grasses. II
was early in the day, and the first rays
OF the sun had begun to look over tie
ragged tops of the uneven ridge to
the eastward, and with blaze OF
glory they presently flooded the bosom
Of the crystal lake lying in peace be-
fore me.
Rocks cropped out from the surface
Of the ground everywhere, and loose
powders lay ON the side of the pre-
cipitous hills whose feet were laved by
the clear waters of the little lake.
These powders, by their precarious
tenure of the ground, suggested to me
the idea that Sisyphus of old had been
engaged here, and that the huge
stones, seemingly ready to topple
down into the lake, were evidences of
his herculean and incompleted task.
These verdure-clothed foothills, inn
mediately surrounding the sheet of
water, were but Lilliputian pickets,
thrown out in advance of the tower
ing mountain ridge, and contributed
pleasingly toward the pretty and inn
posing landscape.
AS returned to the little red farm
house, about hundred yards from the
lake, saw for the first time Kate
Bimley, the pretty blonde daughter of
my host. She seemed a girl of about
eighteen, with rather sad expression
upon her attractive face. AS | raised
my hat to salute her she gave me a
nod and smile, but the smile was
forced one and there was no spon-
taneity in her greeting. 1t was not
diffidence that checked her attempt at
a courteous and friendly return of my
civility. There was evidently cloud
over her young life which she was try
fng to illumine by forced ray of
pleasantly, that it might not be
noticed by stranger.
She was a pleasing contrast in her
plain, neatly fitting gown, to the
maidens | had been accustomed to see
at the fashionable resorts. 1t was
beauty unadorned; purity and sim
plicity combined; picture of inno-
cence that would have been SO very
bright but for the sadness that tinged
her face.
After breakfast went out in quest
of amusement of some kind to while
away the hours that would prove
tedious without some sort OF activity.
Strolling over toward the huge barn,
| noticed two figures sitting on the
immense fiat rock in front of the great
doors. One was John Bimley, my
host, and the other was his brother-in-
law, Tom Elkins.
Bimley sat moodily watching the
ether man, who seemed engaged in
chiseling some initials in the hard
traprock. This rock was fiat and
smooth, and was on level with the
ground surrounding it. 1t was, per-
haps, a square of about ten feet, and
formed natural pavement in front of
the hr re barn. The two men were
as | sauntered up, and,
after acknowledging my presence with
a nod, they seemed no way 10th to
continue their conversation.
''Tom, you've got your initials cut
on that corner, now cut my name in
full in the center of this stone," said
Bimley.
Tom looked at him for moment
sharply, and seemed to discover some
thing in the mans tones or looks.
.'Pshaw! what do you want to adj
vertise yourself in that way forp"
"An right; if you don't do it I'll get
some one else to cut them for me, re-
piled Bimley, in an unsteady voice.
just then Kate passed the barn on
her way to the spring, casting an
anxious look at her father as she
passed.
Sod pity that poor motherless girl
when I'm gone!'
Bimley uttered these words in low
tone, half to himself; but caught
them. though ! think Tom did not, as
hewas busily pounding away in the